Microsoft opens Office Genuine Advantage program

Due to the success of the Windows Genuine Advantage validation service in …

Since its inception, the Windows Genuine Advantage validation service has done nothing but come under fire—even from those with valid copies of Windows. Nevertheless, Microsoft feels that the system works, so it is now bringing that same concept to the Office product line.

As of yesterday, Microsoft is requiring anyone wishing to download Office Online templates for Office XP, 2003, or 2007 to validate their copy of the productivity software through the Office Genuine Advantage (OGA) service. In January, Microsoft will force anyone wishing to use Office Update to do the same unless the updates have a "Critical" label.

For some users, validating Office is nothing new. Microsoft began enforcing the check in certain versions of Office back in April; namely Brazilian Portuguese, Czech, Greek, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Russian, and Spanish editions. When the OGA finds a suspect installation, it informs the user that he may be running a pirated version of the software. Director of the OGA, Ashim Jaidka, said some users may receive free copies of Office if they purchased an invalid version without the knowledge that it could be counterfeit.

"It has to meet some specific criteria to be considered for a complimentary copy...If it obviously looks like counterfeit, for example, if it's missing the Microsoft hologram, no. It if looks like it has a hologram, that's what we identify as 'high quality,' and we'll ship you a free copy."

OGA is only in beta right now, but there's little doubt that the company will roll out a final release soon. Microsoft claims the OGA will be painless for users. That's "painless" as in your copy of Office 2007 didn't come from the kiosk/Chevette down the street that also carries Photoshop for five bucks.

As long as OGA doesn't phone home consistently or accidentally finger genuine copies of Office as counterfeit, I have very little problem with the service. So far, Microsoft hasn't exactly had a clean track record in meeting either of those demands, but Office 2007 hasn't left beta yet so it deserves a fair shake. Over time, bypassing OGA will become a part of every Windows user's life just as WGA has—whether we like it or not.